Raging Midlife
2025 · Movie
as Mary Todd
Paula Abdul
1962-06-19
•
San Fernando, California, USA
Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls, where she was discovered by the Jacksons. After choreographing music videos for Janet Jackson, Abdul became a choreographer at the height of the music video era and soon thereafter she was signed to Virgin Records. Abdul's debut studio album, Forever Your Girl (1988), became one of the most successful debut albums at that time, selling seven million copies in the United States and setting a record for the most U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles from a debut album: "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract". Her second album, Spellbound (1991), scored the number-one singles "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". With six number-one singles on Hot 100, Abdul tied Diana Ross for the third-most chart-toppers among female solo artists at the time. As of 2025, Abdul places seventh along with Diana Ross and Lady Gaga for the most number-one singles by female artists in the U.S. to date. Abdul was one of the original judges on the television series American Idol from 2002 to 2009, and has since appeared as a judge on The X Factor, Live to Dance, So You Think You Can Dance, and The Masked Dancer. She received choreography credits in numerous films, including Can't Buy Me Love (1987), The Running Man (1987), Coming to America (1988), Action Jackson (1988), The Doors (1991), Jerry Maguire (1996), and American Beauty (1999). She received 17 MTV Video Music Award nominations, winning five, as well as receiving the Grammy Award for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract" in 1991. She received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography twice for her work on The Tracey Ullman Show, and her own performance at the American Music Awards in 1990. Abdul was honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is the first entertainer to be honored with the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards' Hall of Fame Award. Abdul was born in San Fernando, California. She is Jewish: her father, Harry Abdul, is of Syrian Jewish heritage and was born in Aleppo, Syria, raised in Brazil and emigrated to the United States. Her mother, Lorraine (Rykiss), was a concert pianist of Jewish heritage, from Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada. Abdul has an older sister named Wendy. As an avid dancer, Abdul was inspired towards a show business career by Gene Kelly in the film Singin' in the Rain. ... Source: Article "Paula Abdul" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Filmography
The Muppets Mayhem
2023 · TV Show
as Paula Abdul
The Golden Bachelor
2023 · TV Show
as Self - Guest
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
2022 · Movie
as 3-D Reporter / Paula Abdul
2022 American Rescue Dog Show
2022 · Movie
as Self - Judge
Janet Jackson: Japanese Singles Collection - Greatest Hits
2022 · Movie
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022 · TV Show
as Self - Guest
JANET JACKSON.
2022 · TV Show
as Self
This Is Pop
2021 · TV Show
as Self (archive footage)
Made for Love
2021 · TV Show
as Anydoors
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
2021 · TV Show
as Self - Contestant
Paris in Love
2021 · TV Show
as Self
Secret Celebrity Renovation
2021 · TV Show
as Self
Impractical Jokers: The Movie
2020 · Movie
as Paula Abdul
Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell
2020 · Movie
as Self
Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party
2020 · TV Show
as Self
The Masked Dancer
2020 · TV Show
as Self - Panelist
Canada's Drag Race
2020 · TV Show
as Self - Guest Judge
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2020 · TV Show
as Self
A Little Late with Lilly Singh
2019 · TV Show
as Self
The Movies That Made Us
2019 · TV Show
as Self
RuPaul
2019 · TV Show
as Self
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019 · TV Show
as Self
Howard
2018 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
A Sister's Secret
2018 · Movie
as Detective Tucker
American Idol
2018 · TV Show
as Self - Guest Judge
The Nineties
2017 · TV Show
as Self (archive footage)
Steve
2017 · TV Show
as Self
Lip Sync Battle
2015 · TV Show
as Self
Fresh Off the Boat
2015 · TV Show
as Holly
The Arsenio Hall Show
2013 · TV Show
as Self
Singin' in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation
2012 · Movie
as Self
Live to Dance
2011 · TV Show
Impractical Jokers
2011 · TV Show
as Self
The X Factor
2011 · TV Show
as Self - Judge
The Talk
2010 · TV Show
as Self
Family Guy Presents: Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie
2009 · Movie
as Paula Abdul (voice)
Waking Sleeping Beauty
2009 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
VH1 Divas 2009
2009 · Movie
as Self - Host
Brüno
2009 · Movie
as Self - American Idol Judge
The Jay Leno Show
2009 · TV Show
as Self
2009 Game Show Awards
2009 · TV Show
as Self (archive footage)
RuPaul's Drag Race
2009 · TV Show
as Self - Guest Judge
Drop Dead Diva
2009 · TV Show
as Judge Paula
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009 · TV Show
as Self - Guest
The Streamy Awards
2009 · TV Show
as Self - Presenter
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens
2007 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
Hey Paula
2007 · TV Show
as Self
Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story
2006 · Movie
as Self
Let's Dance
2006 · TV Show
Robots
2005 · Movie
as Watch (voice)
American Idol: The Best of Seasons 1-4
2005 · Movie
as Self - Judge (archive footage)
American Idol: The Worst of Seasons 1-4
2005 · Movie
as Self - Judge
Romy and Michele: In the Beginning
2005 · Movie
as Paula Abdul
The Friday Night Project
2005 · TV Show
as Self - Host
So You Think You Can Dance
2005 · TV Show
as Self - Judge
Dancing with the Stars
2005 · TV Show
as Self - Guest Judge
Hell's Kitchen
2005 · TV Show
as Self - Restaurant Patron
No image
The Reichen Show
2005 · TV Show
as Self - Guest
No image
The Tony Danza Show
2004 · TV Show
as Self
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
2004 · TV Show
as Self
Sesame Street: Zoe's Dance Moves
2003 · Movie
as Self
Saturday Night Live: 25 Years of Music Vol. 5
2003 · Movie
as Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003 · TV Show
as Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003 · TV Show
as Self
All of Us
2003 · TV Show
as Self
Celebrities Uncensored
2003 · TV Show
as Self
That's So Raven
2003 · TV Show
as The Host
Power Girls
2002 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
American Idol: The Search For A Superstar
2002 · Movie
as Judge
The Master of Disguise
2002 · Movie
as Choreographer (uncredited)
Less than Perfect
2002 · TV Show
as Kathleen
American Idol
2002 · TV Show
as Self - Judge
The Waiting Game
2001 · Movie
as Amy Fuentes
No image
Good Day Live
2001 · TV Show
as Self
The Bernie Mac Show
2001 · TV Show
as Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul Cardio Dance
2000 · Movie
as Self
Mr. Rock n Roll: The Alan Freed Story
1999 · Movie
as Denise Walton
Family Guy
1999 · TV Show
as Paula Abdul (voice)
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1999 · TV Show
as Self
TRL
1998 · TV Show
Touched By Evil
1997 · Movie
as Ellen Collier
The View
1997 · TV Show
as Self
The Daily Show
1996 · TV Show
as Self
E! True Hollywood Story
1996 · TV Show
as Self
Muppets Tonight
1996 · TV Show
as Self
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
1996 · TV Show
as Paula Abdul
Spin City
1996 · TV Show
as Paula Abdul
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
1995 · Movie
as Self - Performer
The Single Guy
1995 · TV Show
as Paula Abdul
The Wayans Bros.
1995 · TV Show
as Sasha
Cybill
1995 · TV Show
Paula Abdul's Get Up & Dance
1994 · Movie
as Self
All That
1994 · TV Show
as Self
For Our Children
1993 · Movie
as Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993 · TV Show
as Self - Guest
Paula Abdul: Under My Spell Live
1992 · Movie
as Self
Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS and You
1992 · Movie
as Self
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992 · TV Show
as Self
L.A. Story
1991 · Movie
as Roller Skater in Front of Tail O' the Pup (uncredited)
Barbie Dance Club
1989 · Movie
as Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988 · TV Show
as Self
Can't Buy Me Love
1987 · Movie
as Dancer (uncredited)
The Tracey Ullman Show
1987 · TV Show
Going Live!
1987 · TV Show
as Self
Sacrée soirée
1987 · TV Show
as Self
A Smoky Mountain Christmas
1986 · Movie
as Choreographer (uncredited)
Al TV
1984 · TV Show
as Self
MTV Video Music Awards
1984 · TV Show
as Self
Private School
1983 · Movie
as Cheerleader (uncredited)
Champs-Elysées
1982 · TV Show
as Self
Entertainment Tonight
1981 · TV Show
as Self
No image
Junior High School
1978 · Movie
as Sherry
Saturday Night Live
1975 · TV Show
as Self (uncredited)
American Music Awards
1974 · TV Show
as Self - Presenter
Today
1952 · TV Show
as Self
Crew Credits
1660 Vine
2022 · Movie
Choreographer
Live to Dance
2011 · TV Show
Producer
So You Think You Can Dance
2005 · TV Show
Music Programmer, Music Sound Design and Processing, Executive Producer
The Master of Disguise
2002 · Movie
Choreographer
Black Knight
2001 · Movie
Choreographer
American Beauty
1999 · Movie
Choreographer
The Doors
1991 · Movie
Choreographer
War Dancing - Dance to Win
1989 · Movie
Choreographer
She's Out of Control
1989 · Movie
Choreographer
The Karate Kid Part III
1989 · Movie
Choreographer
Coming to America
1988 · Movie
Choreographer
Action Jackson
1988 · Movie
Choreographer
Can't Buy Me Love
1987 · Movie
Choreographer
The Running Man
1987 · Movie
Choreographer
A Smoky Mountain Christmas
1986 · Movie
Choreographer
The Jacksons Live in Toronto 1984 - Victory Tour
1984 · Movie
Choreographer
